The Price of Possession

by Dakota Brown

  I frowned. "Where do you work?"

  "Over at Los Alamos."

  I raised my eyebrows. "What do you do there?"

  "Particle physics research."

  "Holy shit, that's intense." I supposed I might enjoy listening to a physics lecture if he was the one giving it. Damn his voice was fine.

  Aaron smiled and shrugged. "I enjoy it. I also coach soccer clubs for part of the year. I'm pretty vanilla and boring, really."

  "Apparently not, mate, or the bad guys wouldn't be after you." I grinned at him.

  He shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest as if hugging himself before folding himself back into the loveseat. He was really damn tall, and muscular, but he managed himself gracefully. I suspected he played a lot of sports by the lean but well defined muscles. He probably kept very active.

  "You want to talk about it?" I prompted, hoping he would open up a little.

  I felt the atmosphere in the house… tighten, was really the only way I could describe it. It had been sealed before, but whatever Mal had just done to my wards had blocked us off solidly from any outside influence.

  Aaron looked around, frowning.

  "Mal just tightened the wards. I'm good, but he's way better."

  "Wards?" Aaron enunciated the word as if he wasn't familiar with it.

  "Protections on the house against the supernatural," I explained.

  "Ahh. I guess I don't know a lot about the supernatural world. I wasn't even completely sure it existed." Aaron hunched his shoulders and stared at his hands.

  "Well, it does. Tell you what. It's been a crazy day and I'm sure we're all tired. Why don't you get some sleep, and we can talk more in the morning?" I stood and Aaron did the same.

  I wasn't especially tall, but I didn't normally feel short. Aaron made me feel short. Really short. Next to him, I didn't hate the feeling. I kind of wanted to wrap him around me and... Head out of the gutter, Price. You've got two guys already.

  Aaron followed me down the hallway to my parents' room. The guest room was across from theirs. My room was on the other end of the house, which, was good because I didn't intend to be celibate while we had a visitor, and I didn't want him to hear us. I didn't typically mind an audience, but he might not want to hear it. Not to mention, I hadn't exactly mentioned I was shacking up with both of them. Figured if he wanted to know he could ask. Otherwise, wasn't his business.

  Why was I even worried about what Aaron thought? I'd never cared in the past. This was a new and uncomfortable feeling.

  "Here you go, mate. Make yourself at home. Might be here for a little while if you can stand us."

  Aaron smiled. "Thank you, Chris."

  "Yeah, no problem."

  He went into the room and I took a breath and headed for mine. I shed my clothing once I was inside and headed for the shower. I'd just rinsed off before with three of us sharing this shower. I wanted to stand in the hot water for a few minutes and really wash my hair. The little dog that I was ignoring as best I could followed.

  "So, what do you get out of all this?" I glanced at the tiny puff ball hellhound.

  He woofed at me.

  "Yeah, that's what I thought." Whatever that all meant. At some point I was going to have to name him. I had no idea what to call a hellhound shaped like a poof, though.

  I turned on the tap, waited until the water was steaming, and then got in. Freaking hell, I was tired. And my face hurt from getting hit by that crazy bitch. No one had said anything, but I was certain I had a bruise. I wasn't ready to look in the mirror, however.

  My phone chimed, interrupting my shower. Damn it. Though I was tempted to ignore the intrusive piece of technology, it was probably Darius and I suspected he and his sheriff's deputy would want to talk to Aaron. If I could keep him from swinging by until the morning, that'd be great.

  I dried off my hands, dripping all over the floor, and grabbed my phone.

  Darius: You have eyes on that guy from the fire?

  Nice of him to ask how I was doing. I jumped a little when I felt something touch my leg.

  The hellhound woofed, and as soon as I stopped moving, went back to licking the water off my leg. Dogs. I shook my head and typed out a quick reply.

  Price: Yeah, he's staying in the guest room.

  Darius: We'll be by in the morning.

  I assumed that meant him and the cops. Great.

  Price: See you then. Don't come too early.

  He didn't reply, which I didn't take as a good sign for my ability to sleep in tomorrow. Aaron was probably a morning person, anyway. I groaned, put down the phone and finished drying off.

  "Thanks," I muttered to the hellhound, who had gotten most of the water off one calf.

  He wagged his tail and pranced out of the bathroom ahead of me. So far, I wasn't sure what good he was, but he was behaving himself around the house and didn't require a lot of attention. Speaking of, I hadn't actually fed him, either. Maybe Sabian was taking care of it?

  "You hungry?" Speaking of hungry, I needed to have a discussion with Sabian about this lust problem I was having. I wondered if he could tone it down some more.

  The creature hopped up on the bed, which was a significant jump for a dog that size, and curled up on my pillow. I took that as a no.

  Mal and Sabian came into the room before I could decide if I was getting dressed for bed or not. They both let their gazes travel over my mostly exposed body. A predatory smile curled Mal's lips. Sabian's was more playful.

  Before I could figure out something to say, Mal pulled his shirt off and everything fled from my mind except the exquisite view of my vampire shirtless. I almost didn't notice as I dropped the towel to the floor and stepped forward, reaching out to touch those defined muscles. I traced my fingers along the scar across his stomach and my brain short circuited when I tried to decide if I wanted to drag my hand higher, or lower.

  "You two are completely wrecking me," I managed to get out, voice low.

  Mal ran his hands up my sides, tracing my ribs, then gently running his hands over my breasts, making me shiver in anticipation. "Complaining?" he teased.

  "No. Just not used to this." I was scared to admit how much I was coming to need them in my life.

  Mal curled his fingers around the back of my neck and slid his other hand behind my back, pulling me close, hugging me to him. Nothing demanding, just offering comfort. He was so damn perceptive it was creepy.

  I relaxed into his embrace, tucking my head under his chin.

  "Would you let me worship you tonight, Chris Price?" he whispered, his voice vibrating through me.

  "That sounds amazing," I replied, gasping a little at the thrill of emotion his words sent through me.

  It occurred to me that Mal might be just as stressed out about almost dying as I was. Sabian probably would have survived, but Mal and I would have been toast if they hadn't been able to get the door open. Aaron, too, I imagined.

  I melted into Mal's embrace, letting him devour my lips, sensing an urgency in him that made me think I was right. We both wanted to feel alive right then. He pushed me back, until my legs pressed against the bed, then gently lowered me onto my worn unicorn comforter. He slid out of his pants then leaned over me.

  Mal's lips consumed me, working their way from my mouth, down my neck, pausing there, before he paid attention to my collarbone, and then further south over my breast. He traced some of the lines of one of my tattoos with his tongue before nibbling at my stomach. Then he went lower, teasing me, making me squirm, until finally he buried his face between my legs.

  I cried out wordlessly, moaning as he worked on my clit, bringing me right to the edge, then backing off, building me slowly, torturously.

  It was almost a surprise when Mal finally let me tumble over the edge, a powerful orgasm spiraling through me and taking my breath away.

  He held me while I rode that high, head swimming with the intensity. Once I could somewhat think again, I pushed on his shoulder until Mal w
as on his back. I straddled him, groaning as I pushed myself down onto him, still sensitive from my orgasm.

  Mal grinned, grabbing my hips and holding me while I moved. I was pleased to see he'd lost enough of his control that his eyes had gone fully black with desire, and his fangs were out. He was likely hungry. I was willing to donate. First, I wanted to get him off.

  He was close already, and his eyes fluttered shut. He clenched his jaw, fingers digging into my hips, groaning as he went rigid with his release.

  I leaned forward, pressing my lips to his, and he kissed me with a fierce possessiveness I didn't feel I deserved. He clutched me against him as if he would never let go.

  "You're really going to make me think about keeping you around if you keep that up, mate," I whispered.

  "I do hope so," he replied.

  "Hungry?"

  "Do you mind?"

  "Mmmm, not one bit," I answered.

  "Thank you."

  Mal cradled the back of my neck with his hand, tilting my chin, kissing me softly before burying his fangs in my neck.

  I might have passed out with how powerfully my body responded to his bite. When I was able to focus on more than the sensations rippling through me, I found myself cradled in Mal's arms. He kissed my cheek when I turned a sleepy eye on him.

  "Let's get you cleaned up," he said, "and then get some rest. Today was far more exhausting than it should have been."

  "Yeah, near death experiences will do that."

  Mal nodded, squishing me against him. "Yes. Not something I'm particularly used to these days. I do not approve."

  I chuckled. "Yeah, me neither."

  He helped me back to the bathroom. We took a quick shower together, and by the time we headed toward my bed for actual sleep, Sabian and the hellhound were there. I was sure Sabian felt fine after that, and I still had no idea what the hellhound was doing for food, but at that point I didn't care. Curled up between a hellhound, an incubus, and a vampire, I fell fast asleep, feeling safer than I ever had in my entire life. Which, admittedly, was a little messed up, but hey, that was par for the course of my life.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  Barking woke me the next morning. I jolted upright, heart racing.

  Sabian put a comforting hand on my back. I didn't see Mal and I hoped he was both making breakfast, and taking care of whatever had set the dog off, though I guessed it was Darius.

  I grumbled in annoyance, turned and gave Sabian a kiss, which he turned into something with a bit more heat than I had intended. Pleasure tingled along my spine and I shivered.

  "Do we have to get up?"

  "Yep," Sabian said, sounding far too cheerful for whatever time it was in the morning. "Company and all. Your house, they probably want to see you."

  I flopped back onto the bed and Sabian traced his fingers along my bare stomach. I hadn't bothered with a night shirt after showering with Mal last night.

  "You're not helping, mate."

  "I know." Sabian chuckled and my stomach tightened with need. "But we really do need to get up. At least for a while."

  "Tease." I glared at him.

  He simply smiled back.

  Sticking out my tongue, I rolled out of bed.

  Speaking of teasing... "Is there any way you can tone down the lust thing any more? Being constantly hot after the two of you is one thing, but now my poor ovaries have set their sights on Aaron and I don't even know the man. Not to mention I have the two of you."

  Sabian grinned. "It's not entirely me, Chris. Something about him is calling to you. See how it goes."

  "That wasn't an answer."

  The incubus grinned. "I've got my powers under as much control as I can manage. You will note, you're not attracted to everyone who walks in your door."

  I glared at him. "It has to be your fault."

  He shrugged, not denying it, but also not accepting the blame.

  I grumbled and headed to the bathroom.

  By the time I wandered into the living room, Mal had gone back to cooking breakfast. Thank the heavens. Even better, he was still shirtless, though I suspected that would change as soon as he was done cooking. Damn having company, anyway. I hoped I wasn't drooling as I went over and accepted the cup of tea he held out when I came into the room. Sabian got coffee and sank down onto the loveseat.

  Darius sat on the couch and the fluffy hellhound was standing on the coffee table, staring at the priest. Darius looked confused by the little creature.

  Aaron sat across from Darius in the chair and Deputy McClellan leaned against the doorframe of the patio door, much like I often did.

  "Price, when did you get a dog?" Darius inquired by way of greeting.

  "Nice to see you, too, Darius. We're all fine, by the way. Didn't nearly get burned down in a supernatural house fire or anything." I perched on one of the stools, and resisted the urge to draw attention to the light bruising on my cheek from the fight.

  He tore his eyes away from the dog and turned to look at me.

  "Sorry, you're right. But...when did you get a Pomeranian?"

  Clearly, he couldn't get over the small dog.

  "Hellhound, mate."

  "Yes, I know little dogs are basically all demonic, but why do you have one?"

  "No, literal hellhound. No idea why it looks like a purse dog."

  "Wait, seriously?" Darius jerked his gaze back to the creature.

  Deputy McClellan chuckled. "You're getting quite the collection of demons, Price."

  I shook my head. At least they didn't know about the vampire in the kitchen. "Yeah. It's your fault, Darius."

  He blinked a few times before leaning back against the couch and sighing. "I suppose it is."

  He took that accusation a lot harder than I had intended, but he had been the one to drag me into everything, and it seemed he still blamed himself for a lot of the bad things that had happened since.

  "It's okay. He's house broke." I shrugged. "So, what's up now?"

  "We came to talk to Mr. Reed here, and see if he could shed any light on our situation, or why they might have been after him as a sacrifice," Deputy McClellan explained.

  "Unfortunately," Aaron said, his deep voice enriching the conversation just by speaking. "I don't really have an answer."

  "Chris," Mal said from the kitchen. "When you came to my shop, what led you there?"

  I squirmed on the barstool before sighing. "Used a spell to find what I needed at that moment. Hoped it would lead me to an unbinding spell, and it did."

  Darius leveled a look at me I knew all too well. "This might be the first time that spell hasn't backfired on you," he said, voice dark.

  "Yeah, well, got me Mal and Sabian and the spell I needed, so there." I took a sip of my tea to quell the urge to stick my tongue out at him. I could have some decorum in front of the cop.

  "And a hellhound, and what else?" Darius crossed his arms.

  "Eh, I think it was just trying to lead me to Mal, to be honest." I winked at the vampire who looked surprised. "Just lucky he also had what I needed to unbind demons."

  Aaron was also staring at the hellhound, though he hadn't joined in that part of the conversation. It occurred to me that he had no idea Sabian was an incubus, either. We probably needed to fill him in before he found out the hard way. Wasn't sure what to do about Mal, though. I'd let the vampire decide. So much for not telling anyone what Sabian was. Seemed we pretty much had told everyone but my employees. They really didn't need to find out.

  "My point with the question was this. Perhaps they did the same thing to find Aaron?" Mal put a stack of plates on the counter, followed by a stack of pancakes that he put a towel over to help keep the heat in. Syrup followed. Real syrup. Where had that come from?

  "Possible," I replied. "Maybe even likely. It's not a hard spell. It's simply fickle."

  "I have to go to the shop for a while, Chris. I'll be back in the evening," Mal said.

  I went over and he brushed his fingers along my temple before givi
ng me a quick kiss.

  "I'll see you later."

  He smiled, glanced at Sabian, and gave a quick wave before he headed back toward my room.

  I may have drooled a little bit watching him leave.

  "He's one of the fittest nerds I've ever met," Darius observed once Mal was out of normal human earshot.

  I fought a grin, knowing Mal could hear anything that happened in the house. "I'm enjoying it." Though my tone was light and innocent, Darius' eyes widened, and I swear he blushed.

  Sabian chuckled.

  Not wanting to let the vampire's excellent cooking skills go to waste, I grabbed a plate and helped myself.

  "Anyone else want food, help yourselves."

  Sabian, able to tell what other people desired even if they were going to deny themselves, ended up serving everyone else.

  Turns out hellhounds eat pancakes. Good to know.

  I settled onto the loveseat with Sabian, and once I'd finished stuffing my face, Sabian put his arm around me. Not really thinking about it, I snuggled against him and waited for everyone else to finish their pancakes.

  Darius, the most used to me, raised an eyebrow before shaking his head and going back to his food.

  Aaron openly gaped and Deputy McClellan tried to hide her surprise.

  The hellhound hopped into my lap and settled in for a post breakfast nap. I put my feet up on the coffee table and ignored everyone's looks. They were just going to have to get used to it.

  "Thanks for breakfast," Darius said once they'd finished.

  "Thank Mal next time you see him. I don't even know where the real syrup came from," I replied.

  "Mal," Sabian clarified.

  "Figures. So, what else do you all need?" I glanced at Darius.

  He traded a look with Deputy McClellan before shrugging. "We're trying to put the pieces together so we can find these guys and stop them before they try again. If Mr. Reed truly doesn't know why they were after him, then we'll just have to keep looking."

  "I really have no idea how they would have found me, except I suppose by magic," Aaron said slowly. "I've never encountered anyone like that woman before and that guy was extremely strong."

  Something occurred to me. Sabian and Mal had both reacted strongly to something about Aaron when they had touched him trying to free him. I wondered if the guy with the demon riding along had the same problem. I wasn't sure I should ask in front of the other two, however. That might clue them in to Mal's not quite human nature which would bring other awkward questions.